Aadhaar: India’s biggest citizen database was compromised

Database of Aadhaar card programme managed by the Indian government, which contains the personal information of over one billion citizens of India, was allegedly compromised, BuzzFeed reported.

The database also holds demographic information, biometric data like fingerprints and iris scans. The Tribune, an Indian publication, claimed that it was able to access the demographics and other personal data of any registered citizen after an anonymous individual granted an admin access to the database.

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The reporter of The Tribune contacted the individual through the WhatsApp, and easily got the administrator ID and a password for just $8. After this, the reporter was able to gather anyone’s information about Aadhaar number, name, address, postal code, photo, phone number and email. The reporter was also able to get software which allowed them to print the Aadhaar card with anyone’s number for just additional $5.

No one should have the access to the database of Aadhaar card except me and the Director-General, if anyone else having access is illegal and this is a major national security breach, said an officer of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), the government authority that runs Aadhaar.

However, after the report was released by The Tribune, UIDAI issued a statement which denied the security breach, India’s Narendra Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party called The Tribune’s report “fake news.”